Letter box



March 30, 1948. M. MOKALLICK LETTER BOX Filed Jan. 20, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

MFR Y McA HLL/m wa z Patented Mar. 30, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICELETTER BOX Mary McKallick, Spokane, Wash.

Application January 20, 1947, Serial No. 723,006

4 Claims. 1

My present invention relates generally to the broad class of deposit andcollection receptacles, and more specifically, to an improved letter boxor mail box of the pivoted trap type, and including an electrical visualsignal and an electrical audible Signal, both of which are controlled bythe movement of the pivoted trap member that is actuated as mail isbeing deposited in the box.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a letter boxthat may be manufactured with facility and low cost of production, andof which the parts may be assembled with convenience to insure a smoothoperating, reliable, and durable device of this character.

While the letter box of my invention may be utilized for variouspurposes, it is especially designed and adapted for urban as well assuburban and rural mail deliveries; and the outside box is equipped Withan electrical circuit including a short audible signal and a prolongedvisible signal located inside a house or dwelling for notifying therecipients of a mail delivery.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andcombinations of parts as will hereinafter be described and more specif-1.

ically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated an example of a physicalembodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined and arrangedin accord with one mode I have devised for the practical application ofthe principles of my invention. It will, however, be under stood thatchanges and alterations are contemplated and may be made in theseexemplifying drawings and mechanical structures, Within the scope of myclaims, without departing from the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a letter box in which my invention isembodied.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view of the upperportion of the letter box, as at line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional view of the letter box atline 3-3 of Fig. l and Figure 4 is a diagram of the wiring for theelectrical signal system combined with the box structure.

In carrying out my invention I employ a box I of suitable material andmanufacture, of appropriate size and preferably rectangular shape, whichis equipped with a front door 2, hinged at 3 to permit ready access tothe interior of the box for withdrawal of delivered mail.

The letter box is located at a convenient place for delivery of mail bythe letter carrier, and the performance of other functions.

The inclined top 6 of the box is fashioned with a deposit slot 1, and aflange 8 integral with the top wall of the box depends from the slotinto the upper portion of the box and preferably extends the full lengthof the slot, to act as a guide for the mail matter that is to be forceddown through the slot.

Below the flange 8 a depressible trap arm or spring lever 9 is centrallylocated within the box, and its rear perforated end is fixed by a setscrew I0 upon a cross pin or horizontal spindle l I that is journaled atits ends I 2 to rock in bearings located in the opposite lateral wallsof the box; and a coiled spring I 3 having its ends anchoredrespectively to the lever and a side wall of the box tends to lift thedepressible lever or trap arm up against the bottom edge of the flange8, as a stop.

The trap lever or trap arm 9 is located at the lateral center of theinterior of the box, on its spindle, and in its initial position thefront free end of the lever is located directly above or over the springdetent 4 of the front door of the box, so that when the lever isdepressed by forcible entry of mail matter into the box the free end ofthe lever will ride down over the spring detent 4 and swing to thedotted positions in Fig. 2, thus permitting the deposited mail to fallto the bottom of the box.

After deposit of the mail the trap lever is retained by the springdetent, and the lever is released when the front door is opened forwithdrawal of the deposited mail, whereupon the trap lever automaticallyswings up to its initial position as indicated by full lines in Fig. 2,thus restoring the box to position for reception of additional mail.

In combination with the depressible trap lever and its spindle I employan audible signal, bell, or buzzer l4, and a prolonged visible signal orelectric lamp [5 included in an electrical signal circuit having abattery 16, and a two point circuit maker I! which is indicated as awhole in the wiring diagram of Fig. 4.

The closing of the circuit maker is controlled by the movement of thelever and its spindle, and in Fig. 2 the first dotted position of thelever indicates that the prolonged signal or lamp !5 is illumined; whilethe second dotted position of the lever indicates that the buzzer orbell is also sounding while the lamp is illumined.

The control switch I! of the signal circuit is located within the box,and the signals of course are located in a house or dwelling, with thewires of the circuit extended between the box and the interior of thehouse, or arranged in other suitable manner.

The switch .is operated by turning movement of a cam disk or eccentricl8 rigidly mounted on and partially rotatable with the rocking spindleH, and a U-shaped compressible conductor or spring leaf N has one end infrictional contact with the periphery of the cam disk and at its otherend is attached to the back wall of the box by a fixed contact member 29which forms the terminal for a wire 25 of the buzzer and lamp circuit.

The U-shaped conductor or spring leaf also forms a terminal for the wire22 on the buzzer or bell, and a movable contact 23 on the free end ofthe conductor is adapted to press against and .force an intermediatecontact member 25 or lamp terminal into frictional and electricalcontact with the point it; and a wire 25 is connected withthis'intermediate spring contact 2 5.

By this arrangement of parts when the lever a; isswung to its dottedposition A the spindle is rocked and the cam disk is turned to close theswitch for both the bell and the lamp and they are simultaneouslyactivated. In this position the bell is sounded and the illumination ofthe lamp is prolonged; then, as the lever is automatically swung toposition B, where it is detained by the spring detent i, the bell isdeenergized but the amp remains illtnnincd as a signal that mail is inthe box.

When the front door of the box is opened for withdrawal of the depositedmail the trap lever is re-set .as it is released from the spring detent,the lever swings to initial position beneath the flange, and the signalswitch is opened by breaking the circuit.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new "anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a letter box having a deposit slot in its top wall and anelectrical Signalling circuit having an open switch located in the box,the combination with a hinged door having an interior spring detentmounted thereon, Of a spring lifted and depressible trap arm pivotallymounted within the box beneath the slot in position for co-action withthe detent, whereby the free end of the depressed arm is caught by thedetent and released when the door is opened, and means actuated bydepression of the trap arm for closing the switch.

2. In a letter box having a deposit slot in its top wall, an interiorguide flange integral with the top wall and depending into the box, andan electrical signalling circuit having an open switch mounted in thebox, the combination with a hinged front door having an interior springdetent mounted thereon, of a spring lifted and depressible trap armmounted within the box for co-action with the flange as a stop and inposition for co-action with the detent, whereby the free end of thedepressed arm is caught by the spring detent and released when the dooris opened, and means actuated by depression of the trap arm-for closingsaid switch.

3. In a letter box having adeposit slot in its top wall, an electricalcircuit including a pro- V longed visible signal and ashorter audiblesignal, and an open switch located in the box for the circuit, thecombination with a hinged front door having an interior springdetentmounted thereon, of a spring-actuated spindle journaled within the box,a cam diskrigid with the spindle, and. a depressible trap arm mounted onthe spindle beneath the slot in position 'for co-ac-- tion with thespring detent, whereby the free end of the depressed arm is caught bythe spring detent, and released when the door is opened,

and a U-shaped leaf spring mounted in frictional engagement with the camdisk and forming a conductor :of the switch for closing said switch whenthe trap arm'is depressed.

l. In a letter box of the type described, the combination with a hingeddoor and a spring detent thereon and a spring lifted and depressibletrap lever for 'coaction with-the detent, of an electrical circuitincluding a prolonged visible signal and a shorter audible signal, andan open switch for the circuit, and means actuated by depressingmovement 1 of the trap lever for closing the switch, whereby the switchis again openedby opening movement of the door.

MARY LECKALLICK.

